Liquid emission typewriter

ABSTRACT

A typewriter is provided which includes a source of liquid under pressure and a wheel carrying character openings on its periphery. A burst of fluid under pressure is caused to pass through an opening adjacent to a liquid discharge outlet after the character-bearing wheel is indexed in conformity with the depression of a typewriter key.

Inventor 72] Irving 1. Brown 34-15 Parsons B|vd., Flushing, N.Y. 11354 [21] Appl. No. 821,251 [22] Filed May 2, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 23, 1971 [54] LIQUID EMISSION TYPEWRITER 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.C1 197/18, 101/1l4,118/301,197/48 [5]] 1m. Cl B41j1/22 [50] FieldofSearch 101/1, 114, 129; 346/75; 118/301; 197/18, 48

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,506,701 5/1950 Chisholm 197/51 RECORD MEglUM Primary Examiner-Edgar S. Burr Attorney- Lavine, Cantor & Reich ABSTRACT: A typewriter is provided which includes a source of liquid under pressure and a wheel carrying character openings on its periphery. A burst of fluid under pressure is caused to pass through an opening adjacent to a liquid discharge outlet after the character-bearing wheel is indexed in conformity with the depression of a typewriter key.

6-100 L-IOO PATENTEUNUV 23 Ml SHEET 1 BF 2 8m l/l mm INVENTDR IRVING 1. BROWN BY 01126, 220% (i @205 ATTORNEYS PATENTEUuuv 23 ISII sum 2 [IF 2 INVENTOR IRVING I. BROWN BY J w, fiam a: 72mg ATTORNEYS 1 LIQUID EMISSION TYPEWRITER Typewriters which have been widely used in the past have been provided with a plurality of type bars or levers, each provided with one or more type-carrying elements. These type bars are caused to move selectively from a rest position to a print position, where they are caused to impact upon an inkcarrying ribbon, thereby causing the ribbon to be forced against a record medium, such as a paper sheet, passed around a roller platen. The platen is carried on a carriage, and as the type bar recedes to its rest position, the carriage is caused to step a predetermined distance so as to present a new portion of the paper, upon which the next type bar carried type element will strike. The type bars have heretofore been actuated by a mechanical lever system, by an electric system involving switches and solenoids, and in some cases, by an hydraulic system. Whatever the means of actuation, this kind of typewriter has had the defect of requiring an ink-carrying ribbon or carbon ribbon, as well as mechanical complexity and an unsatisfactory noise level.

A relatively recent departure from this most widely used typewriter construction has been the so-called electrostatic typewriter. Typically, and in one significant example, a typewriter having a keyboard has been provided together with a toner roll and a loading roll, the loading roll passing toner material to the toner roll, which latter is closely adjacent to a character drum or mask of conductive material. A screen is carried on the inner surface of this character drum, and on the character drum are print characters disposed around it in circumferential columns. On a line parallel to the drum axis are a row of characters, all characters in each line being the same. A drumlike paper guide is provided containing a plurality of selectively energizable electrostatic probes, which may be energized to draw toner material from a selected print character on the character drum towards it, the toner being thereby deposited in the form of the selected character onto a paper record element which is placed between the character drum and the paper guide. The toner, thus deposited on the aper, is then adhered to the paper by being treated by a heater section which is also carried on the paper guide.

While the above-described electrostatic typewriter or printer machine does solve the problem of noise due to impact of type-carrying bars, it suffers from the known deficiencies of electrostatic type printers which include unevenness of printing, as well as requiring a multiplicity of parts, and specifically requiring a heater section. In addition, such a machine operates at a less than satisfactory speed, due to the necessity for rotating a relatively large drum element which must be as long in an axial direction as the page which is to be printed, and which therefore must have considerable mass. In addition, a relatively large drum is required in order to provide all of the letters in both capital and lower case and the necessary numerals and any desirable additional symbols, and a complex decoder is also necessary to provide the command signals to the electrostatic probes.

Other typewriters of the electrostatic type have been proposed, but each of them requires either a very large bank of characters for printing or such a large drum, as hereinabove described. Hence, the known nonimpact typewriters of the electrostatic type are deficient in requiring a large number of parts, and in requiring a large bank of stencils or a drum element carrying print characters of great dimensions, and therefore of mass, which results in slow speed operation. They also require complex signal input apparatus.

In yet another embodiment of such electrostatic printers, a type wheel having electrodelike print characters thereon has been used; in this construction, the type wheel was associated with dielectric material in strip or tape form, so that the type wheel was rotated to a selected position and a latent electrostatic image of the character selected was, in turn, formed on the strip or tape as it was fed past the printing station of the wheel. The tape was then fed past a device for blowing magnetic ink onto the strip, which was then used to print a line at a time onto the record paper. Obviously, this arrangement requires in effect two printing operations, the first of a latent image on the dielectric tape, and then a second from the tape onto the record paper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Typewriters of the impact type, as discussed hereinabove, have a number of known drawbacks, such as noisy operation, a multiplicity of parts leading to expense of manufacture and maintenance, difficulty of replacing ribbon, and a limitation as to the type of material which can be used to receive the typing imprint. Similarly, the electrostatic typewriters, while operating with considerably less noise due to their impactless characters, are nevertheless relatively expensive, do not operate at high speeds because of the necessity of moving a characterbearing member of high mass, and are limited as to the materials upon which the electrostatic impressions may be rendered. In addition, the electrostatic typewriters are complex, and they require both an impression station and a fixing station, thereby further complicating their construction. Further, both the electrostatic and the impact type of typewriters provide no facility for printing characters in multiple type size, type face, or colors, or provide very limited convenience in this direction. The printing medium is also limited to ink or carbon and the number of characters is usually restricted to 86. Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a typewriter or the like which will overcome the above-noted deficiencies of the prior art, including substantially noiseless, non-impact operation, relative simplicity of manufacture and maintenance, with a reduced number of parts, the ability to readily provide not only different varieties of type sizes, type faces or characters, but also the ability to provide for the utilization of a large number of colors. Further, it is the purpose of the present invention to provide a typewriter or the like capable of producing characters directly on a wide variety of record mediums, including plastic materials such as sheets and tape, photographic film and prints, and colored or plasticcoated paper record medium, in addition to normal record paper. Other objects of the present invention are to produce a typewriter in which the printed character does not protrude through the surface of the record medium or paper, and in which there is no significant relationship between the pressure or force used on the keys and the heaviness of the character printed. It is also the intention of this invention to provide for the use of any special ingredients as the printing medium for whatever specific purpose is intended; whether it is to produce more durable characters with the use of a lacquer or to type on an offset plate for offset printing with the use of a special paint. Because of the nature of this typewriter, it is also possible to increase the number of characters which can be printed far in excess of the conventional or electrostatic typewriter. These may include symbols frequently used in formulas or equations in addition to all conventional characters.

In its preferred fonn, the apparatus of the present invention includes a typewriter keyboard in which the keys are springloaded pushbutton switches in an electrical circuit to feed a multiple of different voltages to a servomotor causing the shaft thereof to rotate and be indexed in accordance with the voltage level signal which is supplied to it. Each key switch has the function, on closing of the switch by depression, of feeding a unique, predetermined voltage to the motor thus effecting selective indexing of the motor shaft. The motor shaft in turn, causes the indexing of a character-bearing disc attached thereto, which disc has character openings on the periphery thereof. Thereby, the depression of a particular key switch causes the character-bearing disc to be so indexed that a character opening corresponding to the key switch depressed will be indexed at a predetermined position. The apparatus includes a container of liquid under pressure having an outlet valve with a discharge end, and a control lever in the valve which may be momentarily opened to thereby permit discharge of a burst of liquid, with preferably some compressed, noncombustible inert gas entrained in it, from the discharge end. The discharge end is positioned so as to direct the burst of fluid through the previously indexed character opening in the character-bearing disc, this burst of fluid being thereby shaped by a character-defining opening and then impinging upon a record medium disposed adjacent to the character-bearing disc, but on the opposite side thereof from the outlet valve discharge end. The paper or other record medium is carried on a roller-type platen which is supported in a carriage translatable past the character-bearing disc. Movement of this carriage is effected in a step-by-step manner, after each character is imprinted, by the tripping of the typewriter space bar. The liquid container is carried within the typewriter itself, and is readily replaceable, as is the character-bearing disc. Due to the facility in replaceability of these parts, different character-bearing discs having different forms and sizes of characters may be selectively and readily used, and various colors or ingredients of liquid may also be so selectively used. Because of these features, the typewriter of the present invention is readily adaptable not only for conventional typing, but may also be used for art work, display work, presentations, and in industrial use for imprinting plastic markers for wires, cables and codings (reference designations) for electronic assemblies. These uses and many others are not normally accomplished with a typewriter of either the impact or electrostatic type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly schematic and diagrammatic, of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial detail view in perspective of the character-bearing wheel ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the character-bearing wheel and fluid supply apparatus, with parts broken away.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing certain control elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, wherein like or corresponding reference numerals are used to designate like or corresponding parts throughout several views, there is shown in FIG. I a typewriter or the like in accordance with the present invention, including a base 11 comprising a keyboard 12 with keys arranged in the normal manner, the exemplary keys being designated 13-1, 13-2, 13-3 and 13-4. The first three noted keys are for numerals and letters, and key 134 is a shift key. A power cord 14 extends from the base 11, and may deliver current to a voltage regulator 15 which has a fixed, standardized voltage output. Current from the voltage regulator is supplied to a voltage divider network 16 comprising a plurality of fixed value resistors in series, only a portion of the network 16 being shown for purposes of clarity. A first tape offline L-1 is connected with the voltage divider network 16 at one point, and contains a normally open switch S-I which may be closed by the action of an AND-gate G-I. Tapped from another point in voltage divider network 16 is a line L-2 having a similar switch 8-2, which latter is controlled by an AND-gate G-2. There are as many tapping lines L-l, L- etc. as there are character keys 13-1, 13-2, etc. on the typewriter, and these lines extend from a lowercase portion 16-1 of voltage divider network 16. When the shift key 13-4 is in the position shown, voltage will be supplied from a source through switch 5-20 to line L-LC, which is connected with each of the AND-gates 0-1, 0-2, etc., which are connected with the lower case portion 16-1 of network 16. Connected to the AND-gate 6-1 is a conductor L-1l, which leads from a switch S-13-1 which is closed when the key 13-1 is depressed and which thereupon supplies a voltage to the AN D-gate G-l. Voltages being simultaneously supplied to AND-gate G-l through lines L-ll and L-LC cause the gate G-I to open, thereby supplying a signal to switch S-l, closing it and permitting a particular voltage to flow from the lower case section 16-1 of voltage divider network 16, this voltage being supplied through line L-M to the motor 21. As will be understood, depression of key 13-2 will pennit current to flow through line L-l2 to AND-gate G-2, thereby closing switch S-2 and permitting a distinct voltage to be supplied to the motor 21.

When the shift key 13-4 is depressed, voltage will be delivered through switch 5-20 to line L-UC, and thence to each of the AND-gates G-l00, G-10l, etc. The AND-gate G-I00 is also connected with line L-ll, AND-gate G-101 is connected with line 14-12, etc. Consequently, if an upper case character is desired, the shift key 134 is depressed and then one of the character keys 13-1, 13-2, etc. is depressed, so as to supply signals to a corresponding one of the AND-gate G-l00, G-101, etc., which control switches 8-100, S-101, etc., these switches being in lines I ,-100, 11-101, which are tapped into the upper case section 16-2 of the voltage divider network 16. A further distinct voltage will be supplied to motor 21 when signals are simultaneously supplied to one of the AND-gates G-100, G-101, etc. from one of the key switches and from the switch S-20.

It will be appreciated that the various AND gates and/or the switches 8-1, 8-2, etc. may form parts ofan integrated circuit. Further, it will be apparent that a separate distinct voltage will be supplied to the motor 21 when one of the keys 13-1, 13-2, etc. is depressed, and that a separate, distinct voltage will be supplied when one of these switch keys is depressed simultaneously with the depression of the shift key 13-4.

Motor 21 is constructed so that its shaft will be indexed to a particular position for each input voltage supplied to it: motor 21 is constructed so as to have at least twice as many indexing positions as there are keys on the keyboard 12.

The above-described arrangement for obtaining indexing is presently preferred, although it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other arrangements are possible by which a shaft may be indexed in dependency upon keyboard actuation. An alternate arrangement is shown, for example, in Hickerson US. Pat. No. 2,985,135.

The shaft of servomotor 21 has a bevel gear 22 thereon which is in mesh with a bevel gear 23 carried by a shaft 24, the upper end of which is provided with a further bevel gear 26 that meshes with bevel gear 27 supported on the shaft 28. Shaft 28 has fixed thereon a mounting plate 29, and extending from the mounting plate 29 are three spaced fingers, finger 29A being shown by way of example. These fingers penetrate a character-bearing disc 30 which is thereby held fixed to the mounting plate 29. Releasable fastener elements 298 are provided so that the disc 20 may be readily removed from the mounting plate 29 and another character-bearing disc 30 replaced in its stead.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a fragmentary perspective view of the character-bearing disc 30, being provided on the rear face 31 thereof with a circumferentially extending groove 32. Connected with the groove 32 are passages 33, only two being illustrated for purposes of clarity. The passages 33 extend transversely of the character-bearing disc 30, parallel to the axis thereof, and each ends at an enlargement 34 provided with a character-bearing opening 36 defining a distinct character at the front face of character-bearing disc 30.

A fiuid supply apparatus (see FIG. 3), generally designated 40 is provided, and comprises a closed container 41 of a suitable liquid maintained under superatmospheric pressure. This liquid, which may be designated paint," is fast-drying, adherent to the record medium with which it is to be used, such as paper, film, plastic, etc., which record medium is different from the material comprising the parts of the apparatus 40 which will be engaged by the liquid in the container 41. The liquid in container 41 is nonadherent in relation to the materials forming the parts of the apparatus 40 or the characterbearing disc 30 with which it comes in contact. The supply container 41 is provided with an outlet pipe 41a which is threaded, and which is closed by a puncturable disc. The apparatus 40 has an outlet structure 42 which includes a sleeve nut 43 and a tube 44 with a cutting edge, the construction providing for assemblage of the outlet structure 42 to the container 41 by the screwing of the sleeve nut 43 onto the outlet pipe 41a of a container 41, so that following the establishment of a seal between sleeve nut 43 and the outlet pipe 41a, the tube 44 will penetrate the rupturable disc in the outlet pipe of container 41. The tube 44 passes downwardly through the outlet structure 42, and terminates at a passage 44a which continues down through outlet structure 42, there being mounted in the outlet structure 42 a slide valve 46 having an opening 46a therethrough. When slide valve 46 is in the position shown in FIG. 3, passage 44a is aligned with opening 46a, thereby opening the passage to fluid at this point. There is thereby provided a safety element to prevent inadvertent discharge of paint fluid from container 41. Slide valve 46 may be shifted to the left so that the opening 46a is not in alignment with passage 44a. Below the slide valve 46 is a pivotally mounted control valve lever 47 connected to outlet structure 42 by a pivot pin 47a, and having therein a valve opening 4712. When the opening 47!; is in alignment with the passages in outlet structure 42 and the lower tube 48, fluid may be discharged therefrom, passing through the openings 46a and 47b.

The lower passage 48 forms a part of a tube having a discharge end 49 which is in sealing relationship with the groove 32 in character-bearing disc 30.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the apparatus will be seen to be provided with a carriage 55 which is laterally movable in the normal manner, with a rack 56 at the lower part thereof for cooperation with a stepping mechanism generally designated 57, which may be of conventional construction. On the carriage 55 there is provided a pivotal carriage section 58; carriage section 58 is pivotally supported on a pair of horizontal pivot pins, one such pivot pin 59 being shown in FIG. 1. A suitable spring 61 urges the carriage section 58 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1. A roller platen 62, which can be of conventional construction, is carried by the carriage section 58.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the base 11 of the apparatus 10 may be seen to include a pair of solenoids 63 and 64 having plungers 63a and 64a which engage with a contact surface 66 extending along the lower part of the pivotal carriage section 58. These solenoids 63 and 64 are not normally energized, so that their plungers 63a and 64a, spring-operated, engage the contact surface 66 and thereby cause the pivotal carriage section 58 to be urged to the position shown in FIG. 1, against the spring 61.

Referring to FIG. I, a conductor 67 extends from the voltage regulator to a normally open time delay device 68 which is electrically connected to the solenoids 63 and 64. The time delay device is also connected to the line LM, as by conductor 69. Consequently, before a key switch is depressed, the solenoids 63 and 64 are not energized, and maintain the pivotal carriage section 58 in the position shown. When a key switch is depressed, however, current will flow through conductor 69 to the time delay device 68, and after a predetermined time delay, to allow for maximum time required for rotation and indexing of disc 30, the time delay device 68 will thereby close its contacts, energizing solenoids 63 and 64, causing retraction of their plungers and enabling the spring 61 to urge the pivotal carriage section 58 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. This action thereby brings the surface of the record medium P, supported against the roller platen 62, closely adjacent to the character-bearing disc 30, so that a burst of fluid passing through the disc 30 will have an extremely short distance to travel through the passage 33 before striking the record medium P.

When the pivotal carriage section 58 pivots on pivot pins 59, a portion thereof engages the down turned end of the link 71 (see FIG. 3), which link is connected with the control valve lever 47 by a pin 72. This action causes travel of the lever 47 backwards thereby aligning its opening 4712 with all other open passages in outlet structure 42. Fluid is thus permitted to pass through all openings in outlet structure 42, through the opening and passage 33 in disc 30 and through the defined character 36 to the record medium.

When pressure is taken oh the key switch following printing of the character, the circuit to the time delay device 68 is open. All power to the time delay device and solenoids 63 and 64 is shut ofi. Contacts within the time delay device are opened and a spring within each solenoid returns the plunger to its fully extended position thereby rapidly forcing the roller platen 62 away from the character-bearing disc 30 and back to its original position as shown in FIG. 1. This rapid movement of the pivotal carriage section back to its rest position relieves pressure on control valve lever 47 which is rapidly returned to its former position by spring 470 thereby closing the outlet structure passages. Thereby, for a short period of time only, when the record medium is in position, a short burst of fluid is permitted to issue from discharge end 49. During the time that the plungers 63a and 64a are caused to retract and the roller platen pivots down for printing, contact surface 66 depresses an arm 73 which is attached to the letter spacing bar rod 74 (FIG. 4). Upon return of roller platen 62 to its original position, pressure (hold down) on rod 74 is withdrawn and the spacing, stepping mechanism of the apparatus 10, as in a conventional typewriter, is caused to move the carriage translatable past the character-bearing disc 30, to the left, thus preparing a new portion of the record medium for printing.

Thus, with rotation of servomotor 21 being so rapid and substantially instantaneously action of the solenoids, only a fraction or time actually passes after the key switch is depressed and the roller platen is in position adjacent to the character-bearing disc 30, that printing takes place. An instant after pressure is taken off the key switch, the roller platen is back in rest position and the apparatus is ready for the next character.

The apparatus 10 is also provided with a hinged cover 75 which allows for opening of the apparatus, by pulling the cover back, to gain access to and rapidly replace characterbearing disc 30 or the fluid supply container 41 with attached outlet structure 42, for whatever change is desired. The chute 76 in character-bearing disc 30 is provided so that springloaded discharge end 49 of outlet structure 42 can establish a good compression and sealing against groove 32 whenever character-bearing disc 30 is replaced and the cover is closed. It also facilitates disengagement of the discharge end from the disc when the cover is pulled back.

The invention apparatus herein disclosed provides a machine suitable for use as a typewriter which is relatively economical and which is capable of high speed operation. It is relatively noiseless in operation, and may be used for placing characters of various forms, colors and sizes directly onto different materials. Accordingly, the present invention apparatus is capable of many uses. The economy associated with the present invention extends to both original construction and to maintenance. The machine has great flexibility as to the size, style, form and quantity of the characters placed on the record medium, and change of any choice is achieved quickly with little effort. The electrical portions of the apparatus are simple and reliable, thereby assuring dependable repetitive use.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

I. A typewriter comprising a movable character member having thereon a plurality of character forming openings, fluid supply means including a discharge outlet for directing a burst of fluid through a juxtaposed said opening, a closed container of liquid maintained under superatmospheric pressure through repeated operations of said typewriter, and conduit means including valve means for fluid connecting said container to said outlet, means for indexing said member to position a desired said opening in juxtaposition with said outlet and thereafter opening and closing said valve means to discharge a burst of fluid through said thus positioned opening, and means for supporting a record element adjacent to said character member to receive fluid passed through said opening.

2. The typewriter of claim 1, said character member comprising a disc, and shaft means supporting said disc for rotation.

3. The typewriter of claim 2, said discharge outlet being substantially parallel to said shaft means.

4. The typewriter of claim 2, and means mounting said disc on said shaft means.

5. The typewriter of claim 1, and means for releasably connecting said container and said fluid connecting means.

6. The typewriter of claim 1, said means for indexing said member comprising a keyboard having plural, selectively actuatable key means, and means for positioning each character opening on said character member in response to the actuafor releasably tion of a corresponding key means.

7. The typewriter of claim 1, wherein said means for supporting a record element comprises a carriage section, means mounting said carriage section for movement between positions spaced from and closely adjacent said character member, and means for moving said carriage section to said closely adjacent position subsequent to indexing of said character member.

8. The typewriter of claim 7, wherein said means for opening and closing said valve means comprises means actuated by said movement of said carriage section to said closely adjacent position for opening said valve means.

9. The typewriter of claim 1, said record element support means comprising a carriage mounted for lateral movement in relation to said discharge outlet, said carriage comprising a pivoted section, and means pivotally mounting said pivoted section for movement about an axis transverse to said discharge outlet, said pivoted section comprising a platen adjacent to said character member and on the opposite side thereof from said discharge outlet, whereby pivotal movement of said pivoted section will cause said platen to move toward and from said character member. 

1. A typewriter comprising a movable character member having thereon a plurality of character forming openings, fluid supply means including a discharge outlet for directing a burst of fluid through a juxtaposed said opening, a closed container of liquid maintained under superatmospheric pressure through repeated operations of said typewriter, and conduit means including valve means for fluid connecting said container to said outlet, means for indexing said member to position a desired said opening in juxtaposition with said outlet and thereafter opening and closing said valve means to discharge a burst of fluid through said thus positioned opening, and means for supporting a record element adjacent to said character member to receive fluid passed through said opening.
 2. The typewriter of claim 1, said character member comprising a disc, and shaft means supporting said disc for rotation.
 3. The typewriter of claim 2, said discharge outlet being substantially parallel to said shaft means.
 4. The typewriter of claim 2, and means for releasably mounting said disc on said shaft means.
 5. The typewriter of claim 1, and means for releasably connecting said container and said fluid connecting means.
 6. The typewriter of claim 1, said means for indexing said member comprising a keyboard having plural, selectively actuatable key means, and means for positioning each character opening on Said character member in response to the actuation of a corresponding key means.
 7. The typewriter of claim 1, wherein said means for supporting a record element comprises a carriage section, means mounting said carriage section for movement between positions spaced from and closely adjacent said character member, and means for moving said carriage section to said closely adjacent position subsequent to indexing of said character member.
 8. The typewriter of claim 7, wherein said means for opening and closing said valve means comprises means actuated by said movement of said carriage section to said closely adjacent position for opening said valve means.
 9. The typewriter of claim 1, said record element support means comprising a carriage mounted for lateral movement in relation to said discharge outlet, said carriage comprising a pivoted section, and means pivotally mounting said pivoted section for movement about an axis transverse to said discharge outlet, said pivoted section comprising a platen adjacent to said character member and on the opposite side thereof from said discharge outlet, whereby pivotal movement of said pivoted section will cause said platen to move toward and from said character member. 